Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Sulfide mine opponents rally in Marquette

By Michele Bourdieu

On Tuesday, Sept. 28, supporters of sulfide mine opponent Charlotte Loonsfoot rally in front of the Marquette County District Courthouse, where she presented a "no contest" plea against a charge of trespassing on Native American ceded land leased to Rio Tinto-Kennecott for the Eagle Project sulfide mine. (Video clip and photos by Keweenaw Now)

MARQUETTE -- A Rally of support welcomed Charlotte Loonsfoot, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) member, as she emerged from the Marquette County District Courthouse in Marquette on Tuesday morning, Sept. 28.

Supporters greet Charlotte Loonsfoot, third from right, outside the Courthouse, shortly after she received a 30-day delay of sentence for her "no contest" plea against a misdemeanor trespassing charge. Also pictured are, from right, Laura (Furtman) Gauger of Duluth, Cynthia Pryor of Big Bay, James Haun of Skanee and KBIC elder Betsy Robillard Ross.

Loonsfoot was arrested for trespassing on May 27, 2010 -- while camping and praying on Eagle Rock, an Anishinaabeg (Ojibwa) sacred site, located on public land leased by Rio Tinto-Kennecott for their Eagle Project sulfide mine.

After entering a plea of "no contest," Loonsfoot received a 30-day delay of sentence on the misdemeanor trespass charge, which will be dismissed if she respects all the terms of the one-month probation.

A TV-6 reporter interviews Charlotte Loonsfoot outside the Marquette County District Courthouse on Sept. 28 after she presented her plea agreement against a charge of trespassing.

Loonsfoot's defense attorney said the plea allowed her to admit no wrongdoing.

"I decided to accept the plea agreement I offered to the prosecutor after seeing the outcome of Cynthia Pryor's case, held earlier this year," Loonsfoot said.

Pryor, arrested last April for trespassing on state land that Kennecott considered leased to them, despite the fact that the legality of permits required for the lease was being contested, asked for a jury trial and was found guilty after the judge refused to allow the evidence of the permits and lease into her defense. Pryor received a six-month delay of sentence.

Assuming Pryor's case would likely serve as a precedent, Loonsfoot said she chose the "no contest" plea since she didn't expect she would have a fair trial.

Loonsfoot appeared to be cheerful and glad to see her supporters

"It's just the beginning," she said. "I plan to run for a seat on the (KBIC) Tribal Council to try to change things from within. I feel the Council could be doing more to try to enforce our rights ... on treaty lands and they're not, probably because of prior commitments."

Loonsfoot said she plans to keep fighting the mine, which is located on ceded territory. Under Native American treaty rights, Loonsfoot and other KBIC members claim the Anishinaabeg people should be allowed to hunt, fish and gather on ceded territories.

This banner marks the entrance to a second camp that Charlotte Loonsfoot and family members set up recently, with permission, not far from Eagle Rock, on private property not belonging to Kennecott. Although they are not presently camping there, the banner remains.

Loonsfoot and another KBIC member, Christopher Chosa, were among six people at Eagle Rock when police arrived there on May 27 and asked them to leave. Four protesters left the site when asked, while Loonsfoot and Chosa were not willing to leave immediately and were arrested.

According to the Marquette Mining Journal, Chosa pleaded "no contest" in July and received a six-month delay of sentence and six hours of community service in early September. His case will also be dismissed if he fulfills the terms of the six-month probation.

Kennecott, working with local law enforcement, removed the camp structures and a community garden planted by campers at Eagle Rock.

Eagle Rock is now fenced off and nearly hidden behind high berms as Rio Tinto-Kennecott prepares to turn it into the entrance to an underground mine for a large nickel and copper ore body located under the nearby Salmon Trout River. Sulfide mine opponents believe the river, which empties into Lake Superior, is in danger of potential pollution by Acid Mine Drainage.

The area around Eagle Rock is now a construction site surrounded by a fence and high berms. No trespassing signs can be seen from the Triple A Road.

Laura Gauger (formerly Furtman) came all the way from Duluth, Minn., to support the Rally for Loonsfoot.

Gauger is a former resident of Wisconsin who is still fighting Kennecott Minerals because of water pollution caused by the company's Flambeau mine near Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Gauger also camped out at Eagle Rock last May with Loonsfoot and other supporters, both Native and non-Native.*

"It was important to me to show solidarity wih my friends in the U.P. who are fighting Kennecott," Gauger said.

She noted the similarity between Kennecott's Eagle Project and their Flambeau mine is that both are metallic sulfide mines, although the Flambeau mine was an open-pit type and the Eagle mine is intended to be underground.

"The Flambeau mine is yet one more example of how no one has mined a metallic sulfide ore body without polluting the water. That's important for the people of Michigan to know because Kennecott is holding up that (Flambeau) mine as their calling card to get in here," Gauger explained. "I want the people here to know that they have friends in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ontario and Manitoba who stand solidly beside them in fighting Kennecott -- and we're going to beat this thing."

Gauger presented evidence of stream and ground water pollution at the Flambeau mine when she spoke at the 2009 Protect the Earth event in Marquette. She, Professor Al Gedicks of the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse, and the Wisconsin Resources Protection Council (WRPC) are plaintiffs in a lawsuit being filed against Kennecott Minerals and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The case is not yet in court.

Green Party First District Congressional candidate Ellis Boal, who drove up from Charlevoix to attend the Rally, said it was Gauger who told him about Kennecott's Eagle Project last spring when he was vacationing and hiking in the U.P. He also talked to Greg Peterson, journalist for Indian Country Today, who has written several articles about the Kennecott sulfide mine. Since then Boal has opposed the Kennecott Eagle Project sulfide mine as part of his official campaign platform.

Green Party Congressional candidate Ellis Boal, second from left, chats with Amy Conover, third from left, while Rally participants wait outside the Marquette County District Courthouse to greet Charlotte Loonsfoot after her court appearance on Sept. 28. Also pictured are Catherine Parker, left, and Jon Saari, Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) Board member, right.

"No amount of regulation is going to solve the problems of the Kennecott mine," Boal said. "Kennecott is the camel's nose under the tent."****

"It's not over," Mills said. "This is another stepping stone on our way to protecting the U.P."

Save the Wild U.P. Director Kristi Mills, left, leads Rally participants in a march near the Marquette County District Courthouse on Sept. 28. Gail Griffith, right, peace activist and sulfide mining opponent, carries a blue and white United Nations flag and a peace flag.

Also among the Rally participants was Jon Saari, Board member of the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC).

Saari said he attended the Rally to show "solidarity with Native Americans willing to step forward to protect their treaty rights and the water that supports us all."

James Haun of Skanee, a former United Auto Workers union chairman, carried a sign and a flag and wore a tee-shirt protesting Rio Tinto as a kind of British colonialism. He expressed concern about the company's present cutting of trees along the roads leading to the Eagle mine site.

As Rally participants march near the Courthouse, James Haun of Skanee displays his sign, flag and tee-shirt protesting the two British corporations, Rio Tinto and BP. At left, foreground, is Rachelle Giuliani of Marquette, carrying a sign in support of Charlotte Loonsfoot.

"The 510 and the Triple A on the eastern end going into Big Bay used to have a canopy like a golden tunnel surrounding this road this time of year," Haun said. "Now look at it. It's been cut back on both sides of the road. Stumps prevail, and it'll never be the same as it was in our lifetime. Color tours as we knew them are over. That was one of the special areas to drive through."

At the intersection of County Road 510 and the Triple A Road near Big Bay, Rio Tinto-Kennecott has cut trees along the sides of the road, destroying the tree canopy (some of which remains along the extension of 510, at the left of the photo). Click on photo for larger version.

Rachelle Giuliani of Marquette said she joined the Rally as a member of the human race.

"I'm concerned about the health and welfare of all the people who live here, so I stand for well being, health and peace for all -- including the construction workers, the miners and Kennecott itself," Giuliani said. "I like that Lakota saying: 'We're all related.'"

Giuliani generously treated the Rally participants to a breakfast at the Sweet Water Café after the Rally.

**** Ellis Boal is running for the Congressional seat now held by U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak. Other candidates include Republican Dan Benishek and Democrat Gary McDowell. Watch for our interview with Ellis Boal, coming soon.

2 comments:

I have some information regarding mineral rights claims made on 1000 parcels of land in Marquette Coutny by a company that altered the document... . The DNRE says I'm right,,,, BUT, is the DNRE being the DNRE,,,,,said enough? Who can I send this too? Its a loaded gun regarding mining...

Tickets are $19 for adults, $6 for youth, and no charge for Michigan Tech students with the Experience Tech fee. Tickets are available by phone at (906) 487-2073, online at Rozsa.mtu.edu, in person at the Central Ticketing Office in the Student Development Complex, or at the Rozsa Box Office which opens two hours prior to the performance.

Slide Show: Christmas in Calumet 2016

Christmas in Calumet continues this Saturday, Dec. 10, with wagon rides, visits with Santa at the Vertin Gallery, and more. Click on the photo above to see our slide show of Calumet on Dec. 3: the Poor Artists Sale, Santa, and art gallery exhibits. Click on any photo and follow the arrows. To read captions, click on the info icon.

+News Briefs / Announcements

Family and support people for individuals living with serious mental illness such as major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, can register for a free course from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)/Keweenaw Area chapter. The series of 12 sessions is structured to help caregivers understand and support individuals while maintaining their own well-being. The course, designated an evidence-based practice by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is taught by a team of trained NAMI family member volunteers who know what it is like to have a loved one struggling with one of these brain disorders. Classes will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. starting Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, in Houghton. They are for support people only. Pre-Registration is required and is open now. Call Bill or Barry Elizabeth Fink at 482-4632.......Do you participate in a book group? The Portage Lake District Library is creating a list of local book groups for all ages and would like to hear about yours. Useful information includes the name of your group and contact person, a theme if you have one, and dates and time that you meet. Please also say if your book group is for adults, teens, or grade school students. For more information, please call Chris at the library at 482-4570.......Storytime for the school year at the Portage Lake District Library is held from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. every Wednesday and Thursday. Young children are invited to come for stories, craft projects, occasional music, and lots of fun. For special Storytimes on Saturdays, please look for announcements on library posters and on the library’s website. Children are also encouraged to use the Children’s Listening Center at the library to enjoy music, foreign languages, and stories on CDs. Up to four people at a time can use the equipment, including parents who want to help their children learn another language or simply enjoy music or a good book together. Please ask a librarian to help you get started. All library programs are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570.......HEET (Houghton Energy Efficiency Team) is planning a 2016 Winterization Campaign and Efficiency Challenge. Local businesses, organizations and church groups are getting involved. HEET has moved into a new office in Hancock at 422 Quincy St. in Hancock. Click here for info.

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club

Houghton County Democratic Party

Waste Management Garbage and Recycling new schedule for Hancockstarted on Sept. 12, 2016.- All items need to be out by 7 a.m.-Weekly same day pick up for garbage and recycling (using a new dual garbage truck)-Pick Up Day Change affects some neighborhoods:-East of Elevation Street will be on Monday.-West of Elevation Street will be on Wednesday.*Pick up for residents living on Elevation, S. Elevation and N. Elevation Streets will be on WEDNESDAY.-Any container will work for recycling. Some people are painting or taping (recycling) on the bins they now use or you can purchase a new recycling bin from McGann’s or Risto’s.-Single stream will continue for all items including glass and clean pizza boxes!-Service is also available to small commercial.-The City still has a recycling drop off at the DPW Garage (1601 Tomasi Drive)QUESTIONS: Call Bill Marlor, DPW, 482-1480 or Glenn Anderson, City Manager, 482-1121.Click here for Waste Management's new list of acceptable and unacceptable items for recycling.Thank you for your participation.

Slide Show: 2015 Parade of Nations

Click on the photo above to access this slide show. Then click on the first photo and follow the right arrows. To view the captions click on the info icon.

Slide Shows: Family fun with science, more ...

Our recent slide shows highlight the Keweenaw Science and Engineering Festival (KSEF) and Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) community events held Aug. 4 - 6, 2016; the 2016 Keweenaw Science Fair winners honored by Carnegie Museum; and the Lake Superior Celebration at GLRC in April 2016.

The new slide shows can be accessed as follows: Click here or on the photo above for the slide show of the Aug. 5, 2016, Keweenaw Water Festival at Michigan Tech's Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC). Click here for the Aug. 4 and Aug. 6 Keweenaw Science and Engineering (KSEF) family events held in Houghton's Kestner Waterfront Park, and click here for photos of some 2016 Science Fair winners and highlights of the April 26, 2016, Lake Superior Celebration sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan STEM Partnership, the Copper Country Recycling Initiative and more. For each slide show, click on the first photo in the album and click the info icon in the top right corner for the caption. Then click on forward arrows to view the photos as a slide show.

Copyright Policy

For our copyright policy, please click here or email us if you wish to use any of the photos or video clips by Keweenaw Now. Photos by guest photographers are copyrighted and you must seek their permission for re-use. This policy applies to the photos in our slide shows as well. Please do not share photos taken by guest photographers without their permission.

Eagle Rock, 2010: Slide show

In May 2010, concerned Native and non-Native citizens camped, prayed and planted a garden at Eagle Rock, an Ojibwa sacred site, which was blasted for the portal to the Rio-Tinto-Kennecott Eagle Mine. The mine, now in operation, was sold to Lundin Mining Corporation of Toronto. Click on photo above to access a photo album on Eagle Rock protests in May 2010. Click on the first photo in the album and then on the info icon to view captions if they are not visible on the right. To view the photos as a slide show, click on the forward arrows.

Keweenaw Now is on TWITTER. Scroll down this column to see our latest Tweets.

Save the Wild UP

Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve

Friends of the Land of Keweenaw

Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition

The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition's mission is protecting and maintaining the unique environmental qualities of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan by educating the public and acting as a watchdog to industry and government. Visit UPEC on Facebook.

Portage Lake District Library

Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District

HKCD's 2016 Tree Sale has found a home for every tree and plant. Gina Nicholas, HKCD president, thanks the volunteers and friends who helped make the sale a success. HKCD donated some plants and trees to the school gardens at Calumet, Chassell and Houghton. "It is great that the schools are helping children gain first hand experience about gardening and where the food we eat comes from," Nicholas said.

Save the Water's Edge

Finlandia University

Stewards of Bete Grise Preserve

A Rascal's Craft

The poetic musings of Eelu Kiviranta, a Finnish immigrant and self-proclaimed rascal. Side-by-side Finnish with English translation by Lillian Lehto. Introduction by Steve Lehto. Includes "The Copper Country Strike of 1913." Available from Amazon or the translator, 1419 Yosemite, Birmingham, MI 48009, $19.95. Click on cover to see Youtube video.

Distant Drum

Original clothing and wall pieces custom designed and sewn by Andrea Puzakulich in the Keweenaw for 25 years. Distant Drum is located in Hancock's Historic E.L.Wright Bldg. Open most weekday afternoons. Call ahead.

Calumet Art Center

Click above to learn about new classes starting in February 2016.

New edition of book by Steve Lehto

Click on book cover to access Steve's Facebook page on the Italian Hall disaster.

Red Circle Consulting

Mike Lahti at State Farm

Copper Country Community Arts Center

Keweenaw BEST!

Michigan League of Conservation Voters

What Is Sustainable

Author Richard Adrian Reese recounts how his life took a new direction after 9 years of simple living in the Keweenaw -- and offers a new worldview for a sustainable future.

Welcome to Keweenaw Now!

Welcome to our Keweenaw Now blog. This site, the sequel to the Web site www.keweenawnow.com, officially began on September 1, 2007. The Blogger format allows you, our readers, to comment on any post. Read our articles here and send us your comments and suggestions! Your comment will come to us on email (without showing your email address) and as long as it's not objectionable we will post it on the article page. Please note: Right now the comments do not appear on the home page; but, if you click on the headline of an article, it will go to the article's own (archive) page, where comments do appear and where you can reply to them. Click on the comment link below the article to send us a comment. Sometimes the number of comments is indicated on that link on the home page. It may take some time for it to appear.

In addition, Keweenaw Now offers editing -- including editing of scholarly papers in various fields -- and some translation services. We can also help you write or edit the text on your Web site.

Iraq death count

Weather

More stories in our Archives ...

If you missed one of our previous articles, you can find all of them archived through links in the right-hand column. Click on the week you missed, and the headlines of articles for that week will appear as links you can click on to read the story on its own page.